Horse-detacher



(No Model.)

J. F. TURNER.

HORSE DETAGHER.

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in NORRIS PEYEM wxmmc-Lnum, wnsumaro n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. TURNER, OF BERTRAM, TEXAS.

HORSE-DETACHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,935, dated March 2, 1897.

Application filed July 1, 1896. Serial No. 597,754. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. TURNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bertram, in the county of Burnet and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Detachers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to horse-detachers.

My object is to provide a more simple and superior horse-detacher which can be readily applied to any buggy, and one which will be adapted for quick and easy manipulation to effect detachment of the shafts from the buggy.

Having this object in View, my invention consists of certain novel features andcombinations appearing more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is side elevation showing the invention applied to an ordinary buggy; Fig. 2, a front elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan View showing the shaft detached and the lower ends of the lever spread.

The numeral 1 designates the front axle of an ordinary buggy, and 2 one of the shafts. I employ a support 3, having a bifurcated lower end 4, which straddles the axle and is provided with cylindrical screw threaded ends 5 and 6. There is a clamping-plate 7, through which ends 5 and 6 pass and are provided with the usual nuts 8 and 9, so that the support is firmly clamped to the axle. The front end of the clamping-plate is formed into a coupling-box 10, which is open at the top, front, and rear and adapted to receive the end of a thill or shaft. It will be observed that the support is inclined somewhat to the rear. There are two operating-levers 11 and 12, which have locking-pins 13 and 14, respectively, in their lower ends, said lockingpins passing freely through openings in the side of the coupling-box. The lower portions of these operating-levers extend in substantially parallel relation, but the longer upper portions are curvedputwardly into handles. At the point of j unction between the upper and lower portions of the levers there are connected thereto respective pivot-plates 15 and 16.

A bolt 17 passes through the upper end of the support and these pivot-plates, being provided with a washer l8 and a nut 19. The upper end of the support is preferably provided with an abutment-plate 20, which projects in between the operating-lever. There is an open coil-spring 21, whose ends are connected to the handles of the operating-levers somewhat above the bolt, said spring exerting a tendency to spread the handle portions of the levers and hold the locking-pins projected into the coupling-box and end of the thill. The operating-levers are of sufiicient length to extend up the sides of the buggy, so as to be within easy reach of the person driving.

Of course one of the horse-detachers is located at each side of the buggy, so that both shafts may be detached.

The operation is as follows: When it is desirable to detach the horse, the driver or other person within the buggy simultaneously grasps the handles of the detachers on both sides of said buggy and presses said handles together. When the handles strike the abutment-plate, the locking-pins are out of engagement with the thills and the latter pull out of the coupling-boxes. When the grasp is released on the handles of the levers of the respective detachers, the coil-springs return them to normal position. In coupling the thills to the detachers all that is necessary is to grasp the handles of the levers of the respective detachers and retract the lockingpins, at the same time inserting the shafts in the coupling-boxes and then releasing the operating-levers, whereupon the locking-pins will spring into the thills or shafts.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a horse-detacher, the combination with a support, of a combined clamp and coupling-box for securing the support to the axle of the vehicle, a shaft adapted for reception in the coupling-box, and spring-pressed operating-levers pivoted to the support and having locking pins passing through the coupling-box and normally in engagement with the shaft, said levers being adapted for manipulation so that their lower ends may be spread and locking-pins withdrawn from the shaft.

abutment-p1ate for limiting the spread of the operating-levers.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOHN F. TURNER.

\Vitnesses:

J T. GRUoY, A. A. TAYLOR. 

